1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to the art of drawer-type dishwashers and, more particularly, to a dispenser for storing and releasing detergent and/or rinse aid into a wash chamber of a drawer-type dishwasher.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
In general, dishwashers having a pull-out drawer are known in the art. In some models, the dishwasher will include an upper pull-out drawer forming a washing chamber for washing smaller objects such as glassware, utensils, small plates and the like, and a lower conventional-type dishwasher. In other models, the dishwasher will include upper and lower pull-out washing chambers or just simply include a single pull-out type washing chamber. In any event, the pull-out washing chamber must be provided with a dispenser that releases detergent and/or rinse aid into the washing chamber during a washing operation.
In conventional dishwashers, dispensers for detergent and rinse aid are typically located on a door assembly. At the start of a washing operation, the door assembly is opened, the dispenser loaded and, after loading dishes, the door assembly is closed. During the washing operation, a mechanism opens the dispenser allowing detergent to fall into the dishwasher. However, unlike conventional dishwashers, drawer-type dishwashers do not include a door assembly that enables a consumer to load detergent in a horizontal orientation for dispensing in a vertical orientation.
Detergent dispensers for a drawer-type dishwasher are typically mounted to or formed in a front wall of the drawer. One dispenser design includes a pull-out or pivoting chamber. With this design, the dispenser is loaded with detergent and pivoted back into a receptacle formed in the front wall of the drawer. At a prescribed time during the washing operation, a jet of water is directed from a nozzle formed in the receptacle into the dispenser. The jet of water washes the detergent through an opening formed in a bottom of the receptacle and into the drawer. While effective, this design requires tubing to be formed into the drawer during manufacturing which raises the complexity of manufacturing and the overall cost of the appliance.
Other designs utilize disposable containers that are supported on a side wall of the drawer. A single or multi-use container, coupled to an actuation mechanism, dispenses a prescribed amount of detergent at a predetermined point in the washing operation. Once the container is depleted, a new container is positioned in the drawer. While this method is also effective, consumers are faced with limited choices. That is, not all detergent manufacturers have developed or offer containers of this type.
Based on the above, there exists a need for a dispenser for a drawer-type dishwasher. More specifically, there exists a need for a dispenser for releasing detergent and/or rinse aid that can be mounted to a side wall of the dishwasher without requiring special jets to wash the detergent into the drawer or specific, single use containers to retain and release the detergent during a wash operation.